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The Drake is my premier Chicago choice for a honeymoon hotel. Maybe that’s because everything about the Drake is romantic—from the luxurious décor and plush ambiance to the quiet elegance, and staff deference. Your wish is their command, and the coziness of the hotel’s dining, strolling and dancing spaces make for the most exquisite of memories. You could stay on hotel premises for days without requiring anything from the outside world. It’s an added bonus that the Drake happens to be situated at the confluence of Gold Coast addresses, at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, with a prime view of Lake Michigan. Some of Chicago’s most affluent addresses are in this neighborhood. Since 1920, The Drake Hotel has set Chicago's standard for elegance and excellence, the choice of celebrities and heads of state. Royals and presidents, including Princess Diana and Bill Clinton, have stayed here. The Drake has 535 Guest rooms on 10 floors, with 2 Executive Floors, 55 Executive Floor Rooms, and 74 suites individually decorated, including a 5-room Presidential Suite. Over-sized guest rooms feature Serenity Beds, executive desk with phone and data port, high speed Internet, refrigerator, mini-bar, phones in bathroom and at bedside, 25'' TV with gratis cable and movie channel, pay-per-view movies and Nintendo. Deluxe rooms have city views from large, opening windows and a 430-square-foot / 40-square-meter space furnished with antiques and a king-sized bed. Deluxe Plus Rooms have views of Lake Michigan, king beds with cushions, marble bathrooms, chocolates, bathrobe, magazines and daily newspaper. 24-hour room service is available. The presidential suite has palatial features, a knockout view of Lake Michigan, a private dining room, living room, foyer, master bedroom and fully-appointed marble bath. The four on-site restaurants and lounges are highly rated, with The Cape Cod Room, being the all-time favorite. Opened in 1933 and featuring fresh seafood from both coasts, as well as from lakes and freshwater streams, it has been a holiday award winner for 35 years and was inducted into the Fine Dining Hall of Fame by Nation’s Restaurant News. The mere mention of the name brings to mind a special romance. This restaurant is THE perfect place to launch or celebrate a relationship. With subdued nautical lighting and a cozy, quaint “you belong here” feel, conversation naturally gets a very special start. The Drake Classic Bookbinder Soup is memorable, as is the Turbot, Pouilly-Fuissé, and practically everything else on the menu. For lighter fare, the burnished mahogany Coq D’Or is a long-running venue with red leather banquettes and generous cocktails. Open late. The Palm Court, not unlike its London counterpart, is the place for tea and relaxing in sumptuous surroundings, with cocktails and dancing at night. Among famous guests taking tea: Princess Diana, Hilary Clinton, the Empress of Japan and Queen Elizabeth herself in an historic 1958 visit. If it’s a fine steak you’re after, try the Drake Brothers Steakhouse, now occupying the large main dining room upstairs. In 1918, Drake brothers John B. and Tracy C., envisioned magnificent dining with spectacular views, the best steaks Chicago could supply, and great wines from around the world. This is the place, and it’s open for breakfast, too. Fine shops in the Drake Arcade are made for leisurely browsing, and there’s a fitness club, with spas nearby. There are goody bags for kids, games, fresh fruit, newspapers, and you may order special amenities like champagne, chocolates and flowers for the room. |
